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Desolation
(Bob Nolan / Curley Fletcher 1952)
Desolate, destitute desert land ~
Cruel is my terrible, ruthless hand.
Waterless waste of stone and sand.
Weary and worn, tortured and torn,
I am Desolation.
Steeped in eternal starvation am I,
Seared by the withering wind so dry,
Scorched by the blistering sun on high.
Sorrow me not, if thirsty men die,
For I am Desolation, Desolation, Desolation.
Where only fanged and the fit survive,
Only the taloned and thorned can thrive,
Withered and warped, more dead than alive,
Scorned and accursed, victim of thirst,
I am Desolation.
Steeped in eternal starvation am I,
Seared by the withering wind so dry,
Scorched by the blistering sun on high.
Sorrow me not, if thirsty men die
For I am Desolation, Desolation, Desolation.
You are listening to clip from a multi-track recording by Dave Bourne.
Click here to listen to the complete song.
The sheet music for Desolation, co-written by Bob Nolan and Carman W. "Curley" Fletcher (1892-1953) of "The Strawberry Roan" fame was published a year before Curley Fletcher died. Bob wrote the melody and some of the words. Purchase photocopy of the sheet music for Desolation.
The Calin Coburn Collections ©2004
Remembered now as a poet and songwriter, Curley Fletcher had also been a rodeo rider until he began to lose his sight. He and Bob attended many of the same rodeos although Curley was not competing by then. Read more about Curley.
It is possible that this man below is Curley with Bob in this late 1930s picture. Compare it to the frontispiece (above) from his book of poetry, "Songs of the Sage".
Curley in his youth when he had a real mop of curly hair!
(Clipping courtesy of Larry Hopper)
